Boat propelling water jet nozzle



y 1, 1963 K. H. BURGIN 3,090,346

BOAT PROPELLING WATER JET NOZZLE Filed May 51, 1962 5 sheets-sheet 1 IFlE-rl IINVENTUR JF l E- 2 KERMIT H. EURErIN ATIDRNEX y 1963 K. H. BURGIN 3,090,346

BOAT PROPELLING WATER JET NOZZLE Filed May 31, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ill", l

HNVENTEIR KERMIT H. BURErIN YWQW May 21, 1963 K. H. BURGIN BOAT PROPELLING WATER JET NOZZLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 31, 1962 ENVENTUR KERN] IT H. BURErIN HEY Mam-1a.)

ATT U'R NEY United States Patent 3,090,346 BGAT PROPELLING WATER JET NGZZLE Kermit H. Burgin, Whitestown, 11111., assignor of titty percent to Frederick B. Cline, Indianapoiis, 1nd. Filed May 31, 1962, Ser. No. 193,945 6 Claims. (Cl. 115-12) This invention relates to a nozzle for ejecting a jet of water as propelling means for boats. It is of particular advantage when incorporated with a so-called outboard motor and also with inboard motors. That is, the device may be attached and detached from the boats.

Reference is made to my copending application, Serial No. 101,938, filed April 10, 1961, Water Jet Drive for Boats, since terminating July 31, 1962. in Patent No. 3,046,735.

Among the many objects and advantages of the invention are the following: high propelling power is obtained with a high degree of safety in the absence of any hot exhaust. The device permits easy steering of the boat in the absence of operating any valves or the like, and has the further decided advantage of tending to lift the stern end of the boat when the boat is being driven in reverse, or a rearward travel as opposed to the normal forward direction of travel. There is better control of the boat in steering in turns. A very simple construction is employed with speed at all times being determined by the speed of the engine which is employed to force water through nozzles. Also, there is some added propulsive power obtained in delivering the exhaust from the engine together with extruding water into and outwardly in the propelling jet proper. Then in addition, there is the feature of the direction of the discharging jet being changed from a normal rearwardly directed line initially above the surface of the water in which the boat rides, to a more downwardly directed direction to obtain the above indicated lifting action in reverse.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation and partial section of a structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in top plan of the structure;

FIG. 3 is a view in bottom plan of the screen at the intake of the pump included in the structure;

FIG. 4 is a diagram on an enlarged scale illustrating the change in direction of the jet delivered by the nozzle upon its rotation;

FIG. 5 is a view in rear elevation of a part of the structure (less the engine) and in partial section of the structure;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7-7 in PEG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a view in top plan of a detail of the steering gear with a portion of the cover broken away;

FIG. 9 is a view on an enlarged scale in vertical section on the line 99 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a view in section on the line 10-10 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view in reduced scale on the line 11-11 in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 12 is a view on a reduced scale in section on the line 12-12 in FIG. 9.

A motor 15 of any conventional design now readily obtainable in the market, such as is commonly employed in outboard motor drives, is mounted on a pump 16, and this assembly is mounted in any suitable manner such as on the transom 17 of a boat 18. The line 19 indicates the normal water level in relation to the hull of the boat 18 as indicated in FIG. 1. The lower end of the pump 16 has a screen member 20 thereacross, and this is submerged below the line 19.

The pump 16 connects into a manifold 21 across its top end, intermediate the pump 16 and the engine 15. This manifold 21 receives the full delivery of the pump 16. The manifold 21 branches into two chambers 22 and 23.

These chambers 22 and 23 located to each side of the manifold 21 each has a downwardly directed opening 24 discharging into a nozzle base member 25. The lower end of this base 25 is angularly disposed and carries a nozzle 26 revolubly therearound.

The manifold 21 carries therein an engine exhaust and engine water return chamber 27. This chamber 27 is sealed off from any discharge into the manifold 21 and the chambers 22 and 23 except through an enclosed tube 23 in each instance leading from the lower side portion of the chamber 27 into a conduit 29 leading downwardly from the chamber 22. Centrally through the base 25 and thence curving around outwardly by a lower discharge end portion 3% which terminates outwardly slightly beyond the open end of the nozzle 26. That is, water which has been elevated by the pump 16 to the engine 15 and employed in cooling the engine is returned downwardly from the engine into the chamber 27. Also the exhaust of the engine 15 is directed into this chamber 27. The particular connections in the water cooling system and the exhaust system are not herein shown since they are within the realm of those versed in the art and consist of simple interconnections, which connections do not form a part of the present invention per se.

In the form herein shown, the chambers 22 and 23 are formed in separate castings which are attached to the respective opposite sides of the manifold 21, FIG. 5. The base members 25 are for-med in separate castings and attached to the undersides of the members 22 and 23. The tube 28 has an integral flange 31 spaced from the end which enters the chamber 27, and a packing ring such as the usual 0 ring 32 surrounds the tube 28 to be compressed between the flange 31 and the side of the manifold 27. Likewise there is a second flange 33 around the opposite end portion of the tube 28, and an O ring 34 is compressibly engaged between this flange 33 and the end of the conduit 29 into which the tube 28 is inserted. The conduit 29, FIG. 5, extends from the tube 28 through a ninety degree bend 35 into a short straight length 35a which terminates in the plane of the opening 24-. Then the base member 25 carries a conduit length 35b which sealably interconnects with the conduit length 35a, and is supported in the base member 25 by means of integral arms 25a and 25b so as to form a continuous conduit down to these arms 25a and 25b.

The lower end of the base member 25 terminates in an opening lying in a plane diagonally disposed to the plane of the opening from the chamber 22. This plane is in the angular position as indicated by the section line 12-12, and the angle in degrees may vary from around twelve to twenty degrees depending upon the elevation of the nozzle opening above the water level of the body in which the boat is to be operated, and also the height of the transom 17, with other factors being considered, namely one of which is the avoidance of having a jet directed forwardly against the transom when reverse travel is desired. In any event, the lower end of the base member 25 is angularly disposed in a fixed, constant position relative to the manifold 21 and its attached chambers 22 and 23. It is not intended that this base member be revolubly changed at any time but always remain fixed as indicated.

The lower end of the base member 25 is counterbored to receive in effect a nipple 37 extending upwardly from the nozzle 26. A pair of spaced apart bearings 38 and 39 surround the nipple 37 and lit into the counterbore to afford not only a radial but also a thrust bearing combination against which there bears a collar 49 surrounding the nipple 37.

There is a groove 41 extending around the nozzle 26 immediately below the collar 40. A plurality of retailiing screws 42 screw-threadedly pass through the wall 4-3 of the base member 25, FIG. 9, and enter the groove 4-1 as a means of retaining the nozzle 26 on the base member 25. The thrust of the nozzle 26 is always against the bearings 38 and 39 when the device is in operation. The packing ring 44 surrounds the upper end of the nipple 37 to bear against the counter-bore wall in order to prevent leakage between the member 25 and past the bearings to the outside of the nozzle 26.

The conduit 29 continues from the portion 35b in the base member 25 in an arcuate manner by the length 35c terminating externally of the end 26a of the nozzle 26 as above indicated and is shown in FIG. 9. This length 350 of the conduit 29 is fixed centrally throughout the nozzle '26 by means of webs 45 and 46 extending be tween the portion 35c and the wall of the nozzle. Since the conduit 29 is thus supported centrally from the manifold 21 to the chambers 22 and 23 in each instance and through the respective base members 25 and the nozzle 26 on each base member, there is left a relatively large cross-sectional area for water flow from the manifold 21 in each direction around the outside of the conduit 29 and out through the nozzle 25 through its discharge end 26a.

The nozzle 26, shown in a diagrammatic representation as to its mounting in FIG. 4, is, as above indicated, revoluble about the lower end of the base member 25 on a plane angularly disposed to the horizontal, and herein indicated by the line 47. For forward propulsion of the boat 18, the nozzle will be directed in the solid line position to discharge water coming under pressure from the pump 16 angularly rearwardly and downwardly toward the water surface, generally in direction of the solid arrow. The discharge from the end 30 of the conduit 29 will be in the center of the propelling water discharge, so that to all intents and purposes, there is a single discharge from each nozzle 26 with exhaust gases intermingled therein together with the discharge of the Water coming from the engine cooling system.

To completely reverse the direction of the travel of the boat 17, the nozzle will be turned 180 degrees to the position indicated by the dash lines, and due to the angularity of the plane 47, the nozzle will be directed forwardly and downwardly to a greater degree than it was directed in the solid line position, but with the end 3% of the conduit 29 in the end 26a of the nozzle 26 still being maintained above the water line, but directed so that the discharges will be not against the transom 17 but downwardly and toward a zone under that transom. In this position of the nozzle 26, wherein the discharges indicated by the dash line arrow FIG. 4, the jet of water will tend to lift the mechanism and in turn lift the boat 18 to which it is attached thereby aiding in control of the boat in the rear travel rather than causing the stern end of the boat 18 to sinkdeeper.

A variety of means may be employed to rotate the two nozzles 26, one such control device being herein shown, primarily in FIG. 9. It is essential that both nozzles 26 be rotated simultaneously with common directions of discharge jets. On the top of the chambers 22 and 23 in each instance there is carried a gear Wheel 50 fixed to a vertically disposed shaft 51, which in turn extends downwardly through a housing 52 ending on the topside of the conduit bend 35. The shaft 51 continues on down centrally through the conduit length 35a. The lower end portion of the shaft 51 extends through the base member 25. This lower end designated by the numeral 51a terminates short of the juncture between the base member 25 and the nozzle nipple 37. A ring 53 is seated in a fixed manner in the nipple 37. On diametrically opposed sides of the ring 53 there extend upwardly the arms 54 and 55 adjacent to but clearing the wall of the base carried conduit portion 35b.

The lower end portion 51a of the shaft 5-1 is provided with a slot 56 therethrough to receive freely a pin 57 which is anchored by its ends in the upper portions of the arms 54 and 55. This interconnection of the shaft 51 with the nozzle 26 is thus effected by what is known to mechanics as a Scotch yoke. In any event, rotation of the gear 56 turns the shaft 51, and in turn rotates the nozzle 26.

A larger gear 58 is in constant mesh with the gear 50, and is rotatably mounted on a stud 59. This stud 59 extends upwardly from the topside of the gear 53 in a fixed manner, and extends through a cover 69 to receive a retraining nut 61 screw-threadedly thereon, FIG. 9. A lever 62 extends through a slot 63 in the side of the cover 69, and is fixed to a boss 64 in turn fixed to the gear 58. The lever 62 extends in each instance from each of the housings 60, one on each side of the manifold 21. The two levers 62 extend forwardly over the transom 17 and are interconnected forwardly of the engine 15 by any suitable means, herein shown as by a rigid length 65 so that through the two levers 62, the nozzles 26 may be turned in unison.

Therefore while I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural "ariations may be employed, such for example as employing but a single discharge from the pump to operate a single jet nozzle, and means for rotating the jet nozzle. Therefore I do not intend to be limited to that precise form as above described in detail anymore than may be required by the following claims.

1 claim:

1. In a propelling mechanism, for mounting on a boat,

the combination with a motor and a motor driven pump, of

a pump water discharge conduit terminating by nozzle mounting end;

a water discharge elbow nozzle swivelly mounted on said conduit end to have the nozzle upon rotation selectively discharge from an end in a range of directions from rearwardly and down wardly from the horizontal to forwardly and downwardly;

means mounting said mechanism on said boat to have said nozzle discharge at all times above the level of the water in which said boat floats;

an exhaust line leading from said motor through said conduit to a central zone of said conduit discharge end;

an extension of said line continuing arcuately from a swivel connection with said line centrally throughout said nozzle and terminating by an end spaced outwardly from and centrally of said nozzle discharge end; and

means rotating said nozzle.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which said motor is water cooled and has a discharge of cooling water into said exhaust line.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which said conduit end slopes upwardly and rearwardly in respect to forward travel of the boat.

4. The structure of claim 3, in which said conduit end slope is at an angle to the horizontal within the range of from twelve to twenty degrees, and the turning of the nozzle on said end from a forward driving of the boat to a rearward drive of the boat directs the nozzle discharge from above said Water level downwardly to a greater degree than the direction of dis 5 6 charge of the nozzle is in the forward drive of the References Cited in the file of this patent 5 U m f 1 1 h ,d Z l I t UNITED STATES PATENTS mg g: mm a 216,140 Brewer et a1 June 3, 187% extends from outside into said conduit and connects 5 2024274 campml 193D 2,543,024 Humphrey Feb. 27, 1951 with Sam nozzle 3,044,259 Tattle July 17, 1962 has. The structure of claim 1, in which said elbow nozzle 3,046,173 5 Burgin July 31, 1962 less than a ninety degree bend between said conduit FOREIGN PATENTS end and the nozzle discharge end effecting said 10 902,229 Germany Oct. 18, 1954 downwardly directions of discharge. 877,982 Great Britain Sept. 20, 1961 

1. IN A PROPELLING MECHANISM,FOR MOUNTING ON A BOAT, THE COMBINATION WITH A MOTOR AND A MOTOR DRIVEN PUMP, OF A PUMP WATER DISHCARGE CONDUIT TERMINATING BY NOZZLE MOUNTING END; A WATER DISCHARGE ELBOW NOZZLE SWIVELLY MOUNTED ON SAID CONDUIT END TO HAVE THE NOZZLE UPON ROTATION SELECTIVELY DISCHARGE FROM AN END IN A RANGE OF DIRECTIONS FROM REARWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY FROM THE HORIZONTAL TO FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY; MEANS MOUNTING SAID MECHANISM ON SAID BOAT TO HAVE SAID NOZZLE DISCHARGE AT ALL TIMES ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE WATER IN WHICH SAID BOAT FLOATS; AN EXHAUST LINE LEADING FROM SAID MOTOR THROUGH SAID CONDUIT TO A CENTRAL ZONE OF SAID CONDUIT DISCHARGE END; AN EXTENSION OF SAID LINE CONTINUING ARCUATELY FROM A SWIVEL CONNECTION WITH SAID LINE CENTRALLY THROUGHOUT SAID NOZZLE AND TERMINATING BY AN END SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM AND CENTRALLY OF SAID NOZZLE DISCHARGE END; AND MEANS ROTATING SAID NOZZLE. 